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The 2025 Hootin an Hollarin festival committee, pictured above, includes (from left): Back row: Mollie Smart, Kerrie Zubrod, Lily Branco, Janette McDaniel, Mike Gardner, Doug Hawkins, Dave Bushner, Gabe Blackburn and Barbara Luna. Middle row: Heather Bushner, Jerri Sue Crawford, Heather Gardner, Sherry Ginthum, Dia Premer and Becki Strong. Front row: Linda Harlin, Paula Rose and Nancy Walker. Not pictured: Chris Harlin, Karen Brantingham, Renee Hambelton, Konnie Plumlee and Gary Maupin.
It takes a lot of people working hard all year round to put together a festival with as many components as Hootin an Hollarin. From the bands, to the contests, to the stage decorations and more... each detail is thoroughly discussed and planned with intention. The photo above of the dedicated...
Douglas Hawkins and Heather Luna
The son of Dexter and Nelita Hawkins, Doug Hawkins has lived his entire life in Ozark County - “with the exception of one overnight stay in West Plains on the day I was born,” he joked in his typical lighthearted way. He grew up along Z Highway and still lives within a mile of his childhood home. A...
Drake and Kara Potter with children Rocky and Letti
Editor’s note: The Potters will be recognized on the Main stage at Hootin an Hollarin just before the 2 p.m. parade Saturday, Sept. 20.
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Drake and Kara Potter, the 2025 Ozark County Farm Family, live in Wasola with their children, 7-year-old Letti and 6-year-old Rocky.
The Potters own 308...
Waco, left, and Wylee Grisham stand with their parents, Kiya and Wyatt Grisham, left, and great-grandparents, Larry and Sonja Grisham, in front of the house built by Waco and Wylee's great-great-grandparents, Christy and Alaska Grisham, shortly after they bought the farm near Caney Mountain Conservation Area in 1925. The property is being honored as a Century Farm this year at Hootin an Hollarin.
The land being honored this year as a Missouri Century Farm by the University of Missouri Extension Service is now the home of the fifth-generation descendants of the couple who bought the farm in 1925. Christy and Alaska Kibbe Grisham’s great-great-grandsons Wylee, 5, and Waco Grisham, 2, live...
Bakersfield Fire Chief Greg Watts is pictured here with his wife Zaylor, far left, and their three daughters: (from left) Kacy, Tera and Clara.
With this year’s Hootin an Hollarin theme being “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” it’s only fitting that Bakersfield Fire Chief Greg Watts was chosen as parade marshal. After all, helping neighbors is what Greg has been doing his whole life.
Greg was born in Mountain Home, Arkansas, and grew up just...
photos submitted
The town of Bakersfield celebrated its annual fall festival, Bakersfest, and one of the largest car shows around last Saturday, Sept. 13. Kelly Crabtree, who helps organize the “Walk the Streets of Bakersfield Annual Car Show” that coincides with the Bakersfest said attendance and...
Who will be the 2025 Hootin an Hollarin queen? The 2025 Hootin an Hollarin queen pageant will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, on the Gainesville square. This year’s candidates, pictured at the top of this page are (from left): Back row: Shelby Smith, Moxie Similkier, Lilly Hejdak, Ella Sue Barber, Cami Strain, Isabelle Martin, Claire Turner and Annabell Snelson. Middle row: Latasha Bowers, Allison Moseley, Isabelle Workman, Cheyenne Wachtel, Whitley Tetrick, Khloe Simmons, Emma Wahmhoff and Caylee Watkins. Front row: Makayla Smith, Lakely Anderson, Abbi Angelo, Neveah Smart, Brycenne Young and Aubri Freas. The pageant is directed by Becki Strong, Jerri Sue Crawford and Tiffany Pleasant. Also helping are Kyle and Kelly Pompei, who teach the girls to square dance; Mary Kyle, who handles dress alterations and ironing; and April Luna, who helps keep order on pageant night. Organizers also extend a big thank you to Antler Pizza and Miller’s Kountry Store, both of which provide pizza for the girls at their rehearsals.
The time has come. Let’s Hoot an Hollar! This year’s Hootin an Hollarin festival kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, and continues until midnight or later Saturday night, Sept. 20, on the Gainesville square.
As of Monday, the weather forecast predicts highs in the 80s with a 40 percent...
Hundreds of spectators line the streets of Gainesville on Saturday afternoon of Hootin an Hollarin as the festival parade steps off at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. Organizers hope attendees will embrace this year’s festival theme, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” by clapping and showing appreciation to...
The 2025 Hootin an Hollarin pie-baking contest will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Shelter Insurance office on the southwest corner of the Gainesville square. Area bakers are encouraged to show off their pie-baking skills with any type of pie. Past contests have included pot pies...
One of Hootin an Hollarin attendees’ favorite events is the annual costume contest, when folks young and old – and sometimes whole families – dress up in old-fashioned attire to wow the spectators and judges.
The contest is held on Saturday morning to allow students who are normally in class on...